The Silence of Love
by SilverChelle
Summary: Random story about Sheena and Zelos going to a random town for an assignment thing. Postgame, one minor spoiler if you didn't finish the game. Sheelos, of course. It's a mando one-shot, so if you read and like, please leave a review. Thanks. XD -SC


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any characters affiliated with it.

The Silence of Love

Yawning, I opened my eyes and rubbed the sleep out of them groggily. I sat up slowly and looked around my room.

Where was I? This wasn't my house…

Oh, yeah. I then remembered that I had spent last night at Zelos' mansion. I had gone to see the king of Tethe'alla with the redhead, and it had been so late when we finished that I had just stayed here. The two of us had to go on an assignment today—me as the Emissary of Peace and Zelos as my (self-appointed) bodyguard. I wasn't particularly looking forward to it because we had to go to a large town near the Fooji Mountains that was known for its inhabitants' shady behavior and dangerous neighborhoods, but at least I wouldn't be going alone.

So now I stretched and slid out of the large soft bed I had occupied the previous night and got dressed into my normal day-clothes. I stepped into a bathroom that was adjacent to the room and washed my face and did my hair, and when I had finished I tossed my pack onto the bed and left the room.

Slowly, I descended the grand staircase. I could hear Zelos' voice floating out from the kitchen, and so I followed it, pushing open the door that was already slightly ajar and entering. Inside, said speaker was sitting at the table conversing with his butler Sebastian, but when he saw me, he stopped talking. With his elbow on the table and his cheek on his fist, he wasn't too unpleasing to the eye.

"Hey, Sheena," he said, smiling pleasantly. "Sleep well?"

I nodded and blinked sleepily, not ready for words.

Zelos spoke again.

"Hungry?" he asked.

I nodded again, and my friend chuckled quietly as I took a seat next to him.

"You sure know how to keep a conversation going in the morning, honey," he teased.

I scowled. I was so not ready to deal with this man.

"Shut up," I growled grumpily. "I just got up."

Zelos grinned mischievously and stood up.

"I'll be back," he said. "I have to go get dressed, but I'll try to hurry so that you won't be missing my godly presence for too long."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah," I said archly. "Hurry because you know how I can't live long without you."

Zelos chuckled again.

"You just have the sweetest tongue, dear," he said. "I'll be back soon to hear more."

With a final grin, Tethe'alla's ex-Chosen swept out the door and left me in peace. Just as he left, Sebastian set a plate of pancakes in front of me (who knew the butler could cook pancakes?) and left as well.

"Enjoy, Miss Sheena," he said before he left.

I got busy eating and smiled as a thought dawned on me: I hated when people watched me eat, and Zelos knew that, which was probably why he had left right before Sebastian had given me the food. It was the little things like that that always made me smile. Zelos was so considerate in some ways.

Well, I guess he had so much thoughtfulness because he had to balance out his rude, perverted tendencies somehow.

Sighing, I finished eating and went to brush my teeth. And after that, I came back downstairs. I could see that Zelos was sitting in the corner of his big couch, and so I curled up at the other end with a pillow in my lap.

"Hey," I said.

"Hello, my beautiful banshee," he replied cheerfully.

I scowled at the nickname, but to argue about it would be too much work for the morning.

"Such a loving look," Zelos said.

I chose to ignore this.

"So, honey, how have you been? Since we didn't have time to talk last night."

I blinked in surprise at Zelos' sudden question.

"I'm good enough," I said. "Nothing new's happened lately or anything. I mean, I'm just learning to be the chief and stuff, but I don't want to talk about that. I don't even want to think about it yet."

Zelos gave me a scrutinizing gaze but didn't say anything.

"How are you?" I asked.

Zelos shrugged.

"The same as always," he said. "But I've been missing your beautiful face too much to concentrate on life."

He gave me a playful grin. I rolled my eyes, and the talk shifted to more trivial matters.

XXX

Zelos managed to keep me talking for a while at his house. One thing led to another, and by the time we headed out of the mansion, it was already five o'clock. Oh, well. If it was too late when we got there, we could always stay in a hotel.

We decided to walk to our predestined town because it was no more than half an hour away, and I smiled slightly in content as we walked. It was a clear, blue-skied day, and a gentle warm breeze blew. The lowering sun warmed me, and I soaked in the rays happily. All in all, it was a nice evening.

"Mm…" I said, taking in the deliciousness of the hour. "I wish all days could be like this."

Zelos threw me a sidelong glance.

"But then you would get tired of it," he said.

I scowled.

"Zelos, do you have to point out _everything_?" I asked annoyedly. "It's irritating sometimes."

I closed my eyes for a moment while we walked, enjoying the pleasant warmth of the day. A peaceful smile tugged at my lips, and I let it have its way.

When I opened my eyes, Zelos was staring at me, and so I flushed in embarrassment.

"What?" I said, and a defensive note crept into my voice. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

He opened his mouth and spoke.

"I was just wondering how you do that," he said at last. "Close your eyes and walk, I mean."

"Oh."

I scrunched up my face in thought.

"I don't know," I confessed. "I just can. I've always been able to do that. I guess it's a ninja thing since I've been trained since childhood not to solely rely on sight. Although, I can't say I'm eager to lose my sight or anything."

I frowned in distaste, and Zelos nodded and chuckled.

"Well," he said with a teasing smile. "If you ever go blind, I'll volunteer to be your gallant seeing-eye dog."

I rolled my eyes.

"Zelos, I'm not sure I _trust_ you to be my seeing-eye dog," I said tartly. "You would probably place my hands in inappropriate places for _fun_; you would take 'gallant' to a whole new level."

I shivered at the thought, and Zelos nodded in agreement.

"What a dirty mind, dear," he said. "But I have to admit—sometimes it is highly entertaining to play jokes on you, my sweet hunny."

"Zelos!" I said.

"What?" he said innocently. "Your reactions are always so cute!"

"_Zelos_."

"Sheena, please don't hurt me! Your glare is going to burn my clothes off me! Of course, that wouldn't be a bad view for you, either. Maybe you could burn the clothes off yourself too, and then we could—well, you know…"

The redhead wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and I covered my face with my hand, attempting to hide a smile of amusement. I should have been angry, but the man's ridiculous ideas were just too much at times.

"You're an impossible pervert," I muttered. "I just don't get you sometimes."

Zelos draped an arm around my shoulders and leaned his head down to mine. I peered at him through the cracks of my fingers, and I could feel his hot breath on my cheek.

"If you want," he whispered. "I could be _your_ impossible pervert."

"Zelos, as if!" I said incredulously.

I placed my hands on his chest in an attempt to shove him away, but he grabbed my hands and lifted them so that they were flat on his cheeks. I felt my face grow warm, and I tried to tug my hands away.

"Zelos, let go," I demanded.

He only smiled naughtily and held them tighter.

"I don't know," he said. "'The Pervert and the Banshee' has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

I narrowed my eyes, but before I could speak, Zelos said something.

"I can only imagine what sort of night a pervert and a violent banshee could have together," he teased.

"Shut up, you idiot!" I yelled, yanking my hands away angrily. "In the past five minutes, you've managed to offer me a fun night in bed at least three times."

The man raised his eyebrows.

"So you think a night in bed would be fun?" he asked.

I blushed at the notion.

"That's not what I said!" I cried defensively. "Okay—so I said it—but I didn't mean it that way! Agh!"

I stomped off and led the way for a while. Zelos let me fume for a bit, but eventually he caught up with me. But now he was silent beside me, and I wondered why.

"Why so serious?" I asked after five more minutes of no talk.

Zelos glanced at me and then looked back ahead.

"I'm thinking of the best way to ask you out," he said smoothly, and I rolled my eyes.

"Forget I asked," I said flatly even though I knew he had probably just been evading my question.

We were both silent then, but after a few moments I felt uneasy. I glanced up at Zelos' perfectly chiseled profile, and I could have sworn that there was a hint of a smirk on his face. Why?

He stopped walking when I looked at him, and he suddenly knelt in front of me, therefore impeding my progress.

"What are you doing?" I asked suspiciously.

The man grabbed my hands in his bare ones and looked up at me; however, he could barely keep a straight face.

"Oh, my beloved banshee," he began dramatically. "Wouldst thou consider a date with a one such as desperate and handsome as me?"

I scowled.

"Zelos, knock it off," I snapped.

The impossible man gave me a puppy-dog face.

"But, my voluptuous hunny, do you not desire a night in bed with the fabulous Zelos Wilder?"

Unable to stop myself, I swung a hand out and slapped Zelos' cheek. Then I stalked off toward our destination. I heard Zelos stand, and he came up beside me, rubbing the sore spot.

"So," he said, giving me a cheeky grin. "Was that a yes?"

I snorted.

"Zelos," I said exasperatedly, trying to hold back a laugh. "Will you _shut_ up?"

He appeared to ponder that for a moment.

"Yes," he said. "But only until I come up with another strategy."

I shook my head and gave the redhead a look.

"Do you ever learn?" I asked.

He grinned.

"Only from the best," he teased, giving me a pointed look.

"Zelos!"

"Heheheh, sorry."

XXX

We reached the town shortly thereafter, and I was hesitant to walk through the front gate. I felt Zelos slow down beside me as well, and I guessed that he felt the tense aura coming from the city as well.

But I stepped into the city after another moment, and Zelos followed. As we made our way down a broken, cobble-stoned road, I looked up at Zelos.

"Have you ever been here before?" I asked.

He nodded.

"Once," he replied, furrowing his brow. "When I was seven or eight."

"What were you here for?" I asked curiously.

The man shrugged.

"I don't remember," he admitted. "But it had something to do with being the Chosen, I think."

I glanced around distastefully at the town.

"I can see why you'd want to forget," I remarked bluntly, and Zelos laughed quietly.

I smiled up at him for a split second. I liked to make Zelos laugh. He was a troubled person, and so I tried to make him happy any way I could, even if he wasn't aware of the fact.

"Sheena?"

"Huh?"

I blinked and looked up at Zelos once more.

"I think we have to go this way," he said, indicating with his eyes the suggested direction.

"Okay," I agreed, and we turned down a street. "But why?"

He looked at me.

"I don't know," he said with a crooked grin. "I just wanted to see if you would follow me."

"Zelos!" I said incredulously, smacking him in the arm. "You jerk!"

He laughed again and continued to walk.

I sulked silently next to him and let him lead the way.

We had to find the mayor of the town, but in reality I had no idea where to look. The king had given us an address, but the numbers on the buildings were for the most part not clearly marked.

"Zelos, how are we supposed to find the mayor?" I asked frustratedly after ten minutes of fruitless searching. "We're going to have to ask someone."

"Yeah," he said. "Let's look for a dude or chick for some help."

But the streets appeared to be deserted. Only when I heard a distant noise did I feel a flicker of hope. I followed the noise to a lit building and was relieved to see people milling around outside. I stopped in front of one.

"Excuse me," I said to a woman. "But could you tell me where to find the mayor?"

"Oh," the woman said, looking me up and down disgustedly. "One of _those_ deals."

I became irritated. Who did this woman think she was, anyway?

"Well?" I said impatiently.

The woman pointed to the lit building.

"He's in _there_," she said, and she turned away and left.

I exhaled annoyedly and looked at the building, and I felt a little unnerved by the noise that came from it. I looked around for a sign, and when I found it I frowned: the building was a tavern. I looked up at Zelos, and he didn't look too happy either. But, one way or another, I was going to have to go in there, so I turned to enter.

"Sheena, wait," Zelos said, and he grabbed my wrist.

"What?" I asked. "We need to go find him."

Zelos frowned.

"If the mayor is busy spending his time at a _bar_, then I don't think you should go in there. You're pretty and young, and there are a lot of creeps who would love to get their hands on you."

I scowled, miffed.

"Zelos, I don't remember asking for your _permission_ to go in," I snapped. "So are you coming or not?"

"Sheena—"

"Well? Are you coming?"

He exhaled in frustration but nodded.

When I went inside, my eyes watered slightly: The room was full of cigar smoke. However, I couldn't turn back now, so I braced myself and went to the counter.

A bartender came to me.

"How can I help you?" he asked, practically undressing me with his eyes.

I felt Zelos stiffen beside me, but I didn't dare look at him.

"We're looking for the mayor," I said shortly, my skin crawling.

The bartender raised his eyebrows and continued to eye me up with a rather lecherous look.

"What would you be needing with the _mayor_, miss?" he asked.

"_That_ is none of your business," I said firmly. "So can you tell me where he is or not?"

"No need to get angry, miss," he replied. "Just a second."

He went to speak with another bartender, who hurried through a door and went down a hallway. A moment later, she returned and had a hushed conversation with the first bartender, who in turn came back to us.

"Well?" I asked snappishly.

"The mayor says he'll see you," he informed me. "But he won't see the guy with you."

"What?" Zelos said from beside me, and I detected a tone of anger in his voice.

The bartender shrugged.

"The mayor gets what the mayor wants," he said. "So, miss, just go down the hallway and enter the third door on your left."

"Thanks," I said, and I turned to Zelos, who had his arms folded across his chest.

"Sheena, there is _no_ way I am staying out here," he said. "You don't know what this guy is known for."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Zelos, your reputation is just as bad," I pointed out. "But it's not even true, is it?"

"Sheena, that's not the point," he said exasperatedly. "I don't want to take that chance."

"I'm going," I said. "I have to, so just wait here."

"No," the redhead said stubbornly. "I'm _not_ waiting here. I'm going with you."

"Zelos," I pleaded.

He looked at me defiantly.

"Tell you what," I sighed. "How about you wait at this door, and if something happens, I'll call for you. Please?"

Zelos sighed as well, and I blushed when he took my face in his hands and gave me a penetrating look.

"Fine," he said. "But only if you _promise_ me that you'll yell for me if something happens."

"I-I promise," I stammered, unnerved by his closeness.

He released my face and followed me to the door.

"I'll be listening," he said, leaning against the doorframe in a rather attractive manner.

I nodded and went through the swinging door.

I walked down the hallway and knocked on the third door at my left. The door opened, and I blinked. I was looking at a very handsome young man of no more than twenty-five. He was tall and muscular, and I tried not to appear timid as I spoke to him.

"Are you the mayor?" I asked.

The man nodded and gave me a smooth grin.

"Would you like to speak with me, lovely madam?" he asked.

"Yes," I replied. "I have a letter from the king for you."

The mayor nodded.

"Come in, come in," he said, and I tensed but entered the room.

The man closed the door behind me and smiled.

"You are quite pleasing to the eye, ma'am," he said, and although I was annoyed I could not show it.

Instead, I pulled the letter out of my sash.

"Here," I said, handing the letter to the man. "The king wants you to sign a treaty."

The mayor brushed his fingers across mine as he took the letter. I folded my arms over my chest, and the man opened the envelope and read the letter. When he was finished, he set the letter and envelope on a nearby table.

"So," he said. "What do I have to do?"

I handed him another paper.

"Sign this, please," I said.

The mayor took the paper and gave me a smile that was a little too friendly.

"I couldn't possibly refuse such a pretty girl," he informed me, and he signed the paper and handed it back to me along with the letter and the envelope.

I hastily folded the papers and slid them into the envelope and put them back in my sash.

"Thank you," I said, looking up, and my heart skipped a beat when I saw that the mayor had stepped closer to me.

"You're welcome," he said. "Will that be _all_?"

"Yes," I said shortly.

I stepped toward the door, but the mayor made a move to block it.

"Surely you have some time for fun," he hinted softly. "I could make your night worthwhile."

"I'm not interested," I said, and I walked around the man to the door.

I turned the doorknob, but the man placed his hands on either side of me on the door. I could feel his hot breath as he leaned over me.

"Why let such a beautiful girl go to waste?" he drawled.

I tried to open the door, but despite my protests, the man grabbed me, turned me over, and pushed me up against the wall.

"Hush now," he whispered. "Hush."

"Get _off_," I demanded. "I said I wasn't _interested_."

I squirmed, but the mayor's grip was vice-like. He leaned his face down and pressed it against my neck. I began to panic, but I didn't yell for help. There was still a chance that I could get out of this myself.

Desperately, I rammed my knee up, and it hit home. The mayor backed up and doubled over, wheezing in pain.

"Feisty, huh?" he asked, but I was already reaching for the door.

I opened it up as fast as I could, and I bolted down the hallway. I burst through the door and ran right into someone's arms. I shrieked, but I calmed when I saw it was just Zelos.

"Sheena?" he said, tilting up my face, which had been hanging. "What's wrong?"

"Can we just go?" I asked.

Zelos nodded, and he grabbed my hand and pulled me along. We stepped outside, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sheena, are you okay?" my friend asked as we walked along. "What happened, and why didn't you call for me?"

I frowned.

"Is this an interrogation?" I asked. "I'm fine. The mayor just tried to—well, he tried to…"

I turned bright pink as my voice trailed off.

"So why didn't you call for me?" Zelos asked. "You promised you would."

"Zelos, I didn't _need_ to," I said. "I was able to get out of it myself. But I would have called for you if I couldn't have gotten out of it."

My friend didn't reply, and we were both silent for a moment as we walked down the road. I realized my hand was still in his, and I pulled it away quickly. At my movement, Zelos seemed to snap out of whatever reverie he was in, and he looked down at me.

His jaw was set and his eyes were firm.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked him.

"I was just thinking: I'm never letting you go somewhere like that by yourself again when I can go with you," he said decisively.

I scowled.

"Zelos, what is your problem?" I snapped. "I'm not your property, and I most definitely do _not_ have to follow your orders. So why are you so d— protective of me? Why?"

Zelos stopped and gave me a look that held just enough out-of-character anger to intimidate me.

"D—t, Sheena, because I _care_ about you, and if I ever let anything bad happen to you, I couldn't live with myself. Don't ask me to change or back off: I care about you too much to let you get hurt."

My face fell after his torrent of words, and I felt hot tears prick my eyes. I hadn't meant to make him mad. Only he could make me cry so easily.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, and I walked past him to continue down the street.

I heard him sigh, and he stepped in front of me. I could see that all traces of anger had vanished from his smooth face.

"It's okay," he said. "It's just—I couldn't lose my favorite hunny, now, could I?"

He offered me a smile, and I gave him a tiny one of my own.

"Hey."

He grabbed my hand and squeezed it too.

"Cheer up, okay?" he said. "I'm sorry too. I guess I could be a little less bullheaded."

I nodded a little and smiled more convincingly. Zelos was satisfied, and he began to walk down the street again, still holding my hand. I didn't pull it away but walked in silence beside him. Truth be told, I just wanted to get out of that place as soon as possible.

However, fate seemed to be against us, for at that moment, a couple of men stepped in front of us, blocking our path. I heard a rustle behind me, and I glanced back to see a couple more men behind us.

"Zelos…" I whispered, and he looked back too before facing the men in front of us.

"Is there a problem?" he asked the men. "Can we help you with something?"

The men came closer to us, forming a loose circle. Zelos released my hand and placed his hand on his sword hilt.

"Yeah, you can help us with something," one of the burly men said. "We want the girl."

"What?" I said incredulously.

The man spoke again.

"The mayor sent us. He doesn't want word of his violent debauchery to leak, so we can't let you two leave."

"That's crazy!" I cried out, and I moved so that I was back to back with Zelos.

The men came at us, and in a flash, Zelos unsheathed his sword and I pulled out my cards. The men were fast, but they weren't too hard to knock down. I took down one with a few punches and seals, and another went down when I hit a special spot on his neck. I looked around, and I saw that the other two men were also unconscious on the ground.

Heh. We had barely even broken a sweat.

Oh, no.

There were more men coming from the direction of the bar. I looked at Zelos, and he looked at me.

"Let's go!" I said, and we ran.

After a couple of minutes, we reached the front gate, and we tore through the entrance and didn't stop. I heard yells behind us, and I didn't have to look back to know we were being followed.

We ran the length of the mountains, which curved a bit, and I could see a House of Guidance in the distance. If we could just reach it…

"Ahh!"

I stumbled as I felt something pierce my leg.

Zelos stopped and looked down. He swore under his breath. I looked down as well, and I could see an arrow in my calf.

"Zelos, can you break it?" I asked urgently. "We don't have time to stop for long, and I don't know if I could do it."

He nodded, and I braced myself as he bent down and took a hold of the shaft. He snapped it swiftly, and I grunted in pain but was otherwise all right enough for the moment. I knew I was bleeding, but it would have to wait.

Zelos and I took off again. I gritted my teeth against the pain of my calf, but thank goodness for adrenaline because it blocked most of the hurt.

But—oh, no.

We were coming up to a dead end: We were running right into a trap. Rocky walls rose up on either side of us, and they connected in a smallish curve nearby. We would have nowhere to go, but there was no time to turn back. Gah!

After a good five minutes, Zelos and I came to a panting stop at the connection of the walls, and we turned to face the oncoming men. How many were there, anyway? I counted five. That wasn't too many, but we were awfully tired after running for fifteen minutes straight…

Zelos drew his sword again, and I took out my cards. However, the men unexpectedly stopped about five yards away. What the heck were they doing?

We soon found out when they started to yell.

"What are they doing?" I wondered out loud, but I figured it out when a tiny pebble landed near my foot with a _ping!_

I looked up, and my eyes widened when I saw a larger rock falling toward us. I grabbed Zelos and yanked him out of the way just as the large rock crashed to the ground. The redhead's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Oh," he said. "Thanks."

I nodded, but I couldn't reply because another rock fell down nearby. There was a sudden rumble, and I knew what was coming.

"An avalanche…" I whispered in dread.

The yelling suddenly stopped, and the men deserted the premises. Rubble began to rain down on Zelos and me, but that was nothing compared to what would come.

"We need to get out of here," Zelos said, and he grabbed my hand like he had more than once earlier and pulled me away.

We dodged small rocks as we made for the exit, but we were stopped as a pile of rocks fell to form a wall in front of us.

We were officially trapped.

I swore and moved out of the way as a big rock fell near me. Zelos and I backed up into the cliff wall, an we stood side by side and watched rock after rock fell.

I looked at Zelos, who appeared to be thinking hard about something.

"Zelos," I said fearfully. "What are we gonna—Hey! What are you doing?"

He had stepped in front of me, facing me, and he pressed himself against me so that I was pinned against the rocky wall. I squirmed, but he held my upper arms against the wall with an iron grip.

"Zelos, what are you doing?" I cried. "Get off!"

He looked at me and shook his head.

"Sheena, you're less likely to get killed this way," he said. "I'm not moving."

"What? No!"

The redhead grinned crookedly.

"I already told you I couldn't lose my favorite hunny," he said.

I opened and closed my mouth a few times like a fish before I found my voice.

"D—it, Zelos! Don't try to protect me!" I exclaimed. "Just because I said sorry earlier doesn't mean I want you to protect me. Get off! Now!"

"You know," he said matter-of-factly, grimacing as a rock hit him. "This would be a lot easier if you wouldn't fight so much."

I glared, but I was terrified for my friend's life as I looked up into his deep blue eyes.

"Zelos, get off!" I demanded. "You'll die if you don't try to protect yourself!"

"But you won't," he said. "'Cuz I'll be taking your hits."

I looked at him in pure disbelief.

"No!" I said. "I don't value my life over yours."

"Well, I do," he said, grunting in pain from another rock.

I was so scared I could have cried.

"Please, Zelos," I whispered, and my lip trembled. "Please don't do this."

"Sorry, honey," the man apologized. "But it's not up for discussion. Am I not your bodyguard? I'm doing my job."

"I'm _not_ going to let you," I said desperately. "How do you think I would feel if anything bad happened to _you_? I would never be able to live with myself, so get off of me now!"

I struggled like crazy, but it was no use. Tears off frustration and fear began to slide down my cheeks.

"Get off, Zelos!" I yelled. "Get off, get off, get off, get _off_!"

"Sheena!" Zelos cut in loudly.

I fell silent and looked up at him.

"Do me a favor," he said.

"What?" I asked in disbelief.

His eyes searched my face fervently for a second.

"Shut up and kiss me," he whispered.

"What?" I repeated, this time in even more disbelief. "Zelos, get—"

But my words were cut off when Zelos pressed his mouth to mine. He moved his lips over mine, slowly at first, but then he picked up the pace a little. Spikes of fire shot through me, and I couldn't help but move my lips with his as well. It was bliss, heaven, and harmony all intertwined. I trembled in excitement. The heartwarming emotional connection between us was temporarily syncopated, and it was as though all of time stopped. There was no beginning; there was no end; there was only now, this, us… This was it.

It was something I would die for.

After a few moments, Zelos pulled his mouth away slowly. His oceanic eyes were full of something hot and sweet, and I was too busy becoming lost in their depths to realize that the noise of the avalanche had ceased. I could only stare into Zelos' eyes.

I blinked in surprise when Zelos broke our locked gaze. He bent his head, and I shivered at the feel of his hot breath on my neck. Goosebumps formed all over me, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood. I had lost the ability to move at all, and so I was still and silent as I strained to hear what Zelos said.

"Sheena," he whispered into my ear. "I love you."

My eyebrows shot up and my breath caught in my throat. I was too shocked to speak. Had I heard Zelos right?

Zelos spoke one more word, and I knew I heard him right this time.

"Forever…" he whispered.

And then he collapsed.

Although I grabbed him, I couldn't hold all of his weight, and so it was that he fell to the ground with a crash. He landed on his back with a small crash, and to my horror, I saw a pool of blood forming under him. The now-unconscious man's face was pale, and his breathing was shallow.

"Zelos, no!" I cried out, dropping to his side. "No!"

I grabbed his face in my hands, and my stomach dropped when I felt how cold he was. But he was still alive… I needed to get him out of here, one way or another.

But what could I do?

I had an idea then.

"Hold on, Zelos," I whispered. "I won't let you die."

Standing, I pulled out my cards, closed my eyes, and concentrated.

"I call upon thee, Servant of Mother of Earth—Gnome!"

The perky Summon Spirit appeared with a flash. I swayed a little.

_No_, I told myself firmly. _If you faint, Zelos will _die.

"What's up, Sheena?" Gnome said.

I looked at the mole-like spirit.

"Can you clear out those rocks for me?" I asked.

"If I have to…" he groaned.

"_Please_," I said. "I have to get him out of here."

"All right," Gnome said, and with a flash of magic, he shot a path through the pile of rocks.

"Thanks!" I said.

Gnome nodded and disappeared. I glanced at Zelos, who was _not_ looking too good. I had a path now, but the problem remained of how the heck I was going to move my friend. He was too heavy for me to lift alone. We were close to the House of Guidance, but how was I going to get the redhead there? _How_?

I was going to have to Summon another spirit. That was the only option. So I closed my eyes.

"Aska!" I cried out, too impatient to say the usual phrase.

The glowing bird appeared, along with Luna.

"What is it that you require, Summoner?" Luna asked.

"Please," I said, on the verge of tears. "My friend is going to die if he stays here, so is there any way Aska can carry us to the House of Guidance? It's only a few minutes from here, but I can't carry him by myself."

Aska nodded his heads and dropped to the ground.

"Aska says he will do it because you are in need not for yourself but for another. He admires your selflessness," Luna said in her reverent voice.

"Thank you," I said, and I was so grateful that more tears fell and clouded my vision. "Thank you so much."

I was going to try to drag Zelos over to the bird, but Luna used some unseen magic to hover us to Aska. I landed on Aska's back, and Zelos landed in front of me. With him in a sitting position, it was easier for me to hold him up, and so I kept my arms wrapped tight around his waist.

It was not long before we reached the House of Guidance, and Aska gently landed in front of the building. Luna once again helped me move Zelos, and he landed softly on his back on the ground.

"Thank you," I repeated to the two Summon Spirits.

They nodded and disappeared.

I bent to Zelos. He needed help, and fast. I looked toward the House and was relieved to see members running toward me.

"Please," I said thickly. "He needs help. Please…"

I was exhausted: My vision suddenly swam, and I collapsed next to Zelos.

XXX

"Nnh…"

I awoke suddenly and was surprised to be lying in a soft warm bed. My leg felt strangely stiff, and I peeked under the covers to see a white bandage wrapped around my calf. I wracked my brain, trying to remember where I was, and it hit me like lightning—I had passed out right outside the House of Guidance, and Zelos—where was Zelos?!

I threw off my covers and jumped out of bed. I was alone in the room, so I ran out into the hallway. A man stood in the hallway, and I think I scared the poor guy out of his wits when I ran right into him.

"I'm sorry," I stuttered, backing up a little. "But could you tell me where my friend is, please?"

"Y-you mean the man with the long red hair?" the little old man said, and when I nodded, he pointed shakily to a door on his left.

"Thank you!" I said breathlessly, and I knocked on the door.

"Come in," an unfamiliar voice said, and so I hastily went inside.

My heart raced when I saw Zelos: He was lying in a bed with his arms over the covers, and his face was pale. He appeared to be sleeping, but what if he was—

No. Couldn't think that yet.

"Miss?"

I looked at the man who had spoken. He was another old man, probably a healer, and he carried a roll of bandages in one hand and a cloth in the other.

"How is he?" I asked anxiously, dreading the answer.

The man looked at me calmly.

"He is quite all right, miss," he said. "But I do believe your racket in the hallway did not aide him much."

I blushed.

"S-sorry," I stammered apologetically. "But, please—will he live?"

"It's hard to say, miss," the man said, and my heart stopped. "He has a very good chance of living, but I can't say for sure. He lost a lot of blood. Whatever hit him was bad—he had rather large gashes in his back."

I nodded dejectedly.

"Thank you—for saving us," I said.

"Of course, miss. That is why we are here."

The man patted my shoulder.

"I will leave you two alone now," he said. "But, please—no more ruckus."

I nodded, and the man left.

I slowly padded over to Zelos' bed and gave him the once-over. All I could see of him was his bare arms, bare shoulders, and head, and he looked pathetically weak.

I sniffled in guilt and looked around for a chair. There were none, so I carefully sat on the edge of the bed. Hesitantly, I reached for Zelos' far hand and held it in one of my own. I gave it a squeeze, and I felt tears spring to my eyes again.

"Hold on, Zelos," I whispered.

He was silent, which could only be expected since he was unconscious, but it frustrated me. This was all my fault. Maybe if I hadn't fought away the mayor, Zelos wouldn't be almost dead right now. But, then again, if I hadn't pushed away the mayor, Zelos would have come after him. But if I had gone back quietly, or if I had been able to stop the redhead from sacrificing himself…

"You stupid Chosen," I said. "You _stupid_, stupid Chosen. What were you thinking?"

I wiped my eyes with the back of my free hand, but more tears were coming.

"Please don't die, Zelos," I sobbed. "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. Please don't die. Please don't leave me here all alone. _Please_…"

I bent down so that I was leaning on top of him, and I laid my face in his chest and sobbed.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I kept muttering brokenly.

"Sheena?"

I felt a hand pat my back gently.

"What's wrong? Don't cry, honey."

I lifted my tear-streaked face in shock. It was too much to hope for…

But sure enough, Zelos' beautiful sapphire eyes were open and gazing right at me.

"Zelos?" I whispered in disbelief.

"That's my name," he said, giving me a tired smile. "How are you?"

I hugged him tightly and soaked his chest with tears.

"How am _I_?" I cried. "You idiot! Don't you ever pull anything like that on me again! Ever. I was so worried about you: I thought you were going to die! You stupid, idiotic, impossible man! Don't ever go all noble again, or I will kill you myself!"

I sobbed uncontrollably, clutching his hand all the while, and he rubbed my back with his free hand. I trembled as all of my fear, frustration, and relief came out through my tears. At some point, I found myself lying all the way on the bed with my head on Zelos' chest, and I continued to hug him tightly.

After a while, I had cried myself dry, and I lay sniffling in Zelos' arms. He stroked my hair with one hand and hugged me with the other. He issued soft soothing noises every so often, and I calmed down.

When I had stopped crying, I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand.

"Better?" Zelos asked softly.

I nodded and lay, still trembling slightly, in his arms.

"Sorry," I said, my voice a little hoarse from the crying jag. "You're comforting me, yet _you're_ the one who almost died."

"It's okay, honey," he said, patting my back again. "I'm not the one who needed the comfort."

We were silent, but then Zelos spoke.

"Sheena?" he said.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for saving my life."

I blushed slightly.

"It was nothing," I stuttered. "I mean—I couldn't exactly let you _die_, could I?"

I felt vibrations of quiet laughter come from Zelos' chest. Smiling, I sniffled and wiped my eyes with my hand. Zelos continued to make soothing noises, and I felt myself slipping away. I closed my eyes, and the next thing I knew, I was asleep.

XXX

Zelos lay in bed all day and all of the next day because he was too weak to get up. He slept for most of the day, and I sat at his side until the priest-healer made me leave. (He said Zelos would never sleep while I was there, which may have been_ partly_ true.) But I did move into his room and slept in the bed next to his.

But the next morning when I awoke, Zelos was no longer in his bed. Where was he? What time was it?

I glanced at a wall-clock, and my eyes widened—it was already eleven o'clock in the morning. I hadn't meant to sleep so late…

Yawning, I sat up, stretched, and slipped out of bed. I was surprised to see a tray of breakfast on the little nightstand next to me, and there was a piece of paper on the tray. I picked it up and smiled, for all the little note said was '_Eat it'_. I would recognize Zelos' perfect handwriting anywhere.

I folded the paper and set it aside. I looked at the tray. Hmm. Pancakes. They made me think of the morning I was at Zelos' house.

They looked really good, so I ate them and drank the water that sat in a glass on the tray. Satisfied stomachwise, I got out of bed, got dressed, and did my hair. Then I went to find Zelos.

I found him outside, leaning against the wall that faced the ocean. He gazed out at the saltwater thoughtfully, but when he saw me he looked at me and smiled a warm, fuzzy smile.

"Hey," I said uncertainly, standing beside him.

"Hey," he said as well. "Did you have a good night?"

I nodded but looked at the man anxiously.

"How are you?" I asked, and I knew guilt was etched all over my face.

Zelos frowned.

"Sheena, don't look at me like that," he said. "I'm fine, and it's not your fault I got hurt."

"But it is," I insisted. "If I hadn't run away from the mayor, then those men wouldn't have chased us, and you wouldn't have—"

"Sheena, you _didn't do anything wrong_," he said firmly. "If some guy spends his time using girls in some bar, then he has no business being a mayor. And if you hadn't run from him, I would have come back there and beat his sorry a— to Hell and back. None of this was your fault."

"But…"

My voice broke.

"I still feel terrible," I whispered, and I turned my head and studied the ocean.

A warm, salty breeze blew my hair around my face, and I was glad for the curtain of privacy as a few stray tears slid down my cheeks.

"Babe," Zelos said softly. "I feel terrible too. I feel like I should have protected you better from that guy, but I didn't. But I can't change it now, so there's no use worrying about it. What's done is done, and whatever will be, will be."

I nodded a little and wiped the wetness from my cheeks. I looked at Zelos.

"Does it hurt a lot?" I asked, even though I knew his response would be along the general line of _no_.

"Nah," he said, shaking his head. "I'm fit as a fiddle."

"Well," I remarked, raising an eyebrow. "That's a lie and a half, but I guess I should be used to it by now."

The redhead chuckled.

"You know me too well, dear," he said.

I smiled, and we stood in silence for a few moments, just staring out at the endless ocean.

"Sheena?"

I turned my head to look at Zelos, who had spoken my name in a slightly hesitant voice.

"Wh-what is it?" I asked, disconcerted by his newfound, unsure manner.

He was silent for a second, but then he spoke.

"I meant what I said—right before I collapsed."

"You mean…"

My voice faded, and Zelos' face was dead serious. He stepped closer to me, and he took my hands in his.

"I mean, Sheena, that I love you," he said finally. "Heh. There's really no point in hiding it since I admitted it to you the other day."

I felt my cheeks warm up a little.

"Are you serious?" I asked in a hushed voice.

He nodded, looked down, and scuffed the dirt with his boot toe.

"One hundred percent?" I continued.

Zelos nodded again.

"I've felt something for you for a long time, honey."

I was at a complete loss for words, and Zelos still did not look at me. Then, he spoke, so softly that I almost didn't hear him.

"I'll always love you, Sheena," he uttered. "I can't help it."

I blushed profusely and averted my gaze. There was a tense silence, and the man in front of me broke it at last.

"Well," he remarked with a shaky laugh. "That was sufficiently awkward, but I kinda had to tell you."

"Y-yeah," I said. "Awkward."

But I had something to say.

I continued to look down when I spoke.

"Zelos?"

"Yeah?" he asked.

"What would you say," I whispered. "If I told you I loved you too?"

Silence.

Oh, Martel. I couldn't believe I had just said that.

What was Zelos thinking?

I slowly looked up at him only to see that he was wearing the goofiest grin I had ever seen.

"I would say," he said. "That I'm the luckiest guy on the planet."

His grin grew goofier, and I couldn't hold back a laugh. Zelos looked at me curiously.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"Your face," I laughed. "The expression."

Zelos grinned, obviously pleased with himself.

"What can I say?" he teased. "I'm in love."

My cheeks reddened even more. I was going to have a permanent blush.

"You're so cute," Zelos said, looking at my scarlet face.

"Sh-shut up," I said defensively. "I can't help it if I blush easily."

Zelos chuckled, and he didn't say anything for a minute. Then he spoke.

"So," he began. "Since I like you, and you like me, would you ever consider giving me a chance?"

I nodded, and the redhead smiled happily. He grabbed my middle and lifted me, and I wrapped my legs around his waist and hugged his neck. The man leaned up and kissed me again, and just as much heat went through me as before. After a few minutes, we pulled apart, and Zelos let me down gently. His crystal eyes shone with—dare I say it—love, and I was sure mine held just as much emotion.

He took my face in his hands and left another soft, delicate kiss on my mouth.

"Mm…" he said, licking his lips. "You taste like pancakes."

I burst out laughing, and my friend smiled delightedly.

"I brushed my teeth," I said through my laugh. "But I guess it wasn't enough."

"Well," he said. "I think I want some more."

He kissed me again, and when we pulled apart for air, Zelos enveloped me in his arms. I hugged his neck and buried my face in it. We remained locked in an unbreakable embrace while the wind blew our hair around us gently.

I sighed in content, and I felt Zelos kiss the top of my head softly. But he released me then and took a step backward.

"So, my banshee," he began, a trace of humor in his voice.

His blue eyes danced with laughter.

"What is it?" I asked curiously.

"Does this mean you'll go on a date with me?"

I raised my eyebrow, but then I laughed out loud.

"You idiot!" I laughed.

He gave me an innocent look.

"Is that a yes?" he asked me.

I nodded.

"For real?"

"Yes," I blushed. "For real."

Still blushing way more than necessary, I turned to face the ocean, and Zelos did as well.

"What are you thinking?" he asked me quietly as I silently studied the horizon.

I slipped my hand in his, and he squeezed it comfortingly.

"I love you," I whispered.

Zelos smiled.

"I love you too, my Mizuho hunny," he told me softly.

I rested my head on his shoulder, and together we stood, watching the sparkling ocean, in a peaceful silence.

The silence of love.

**Author's Note:** Thank you for taking the time to read this; I know it's really long, but I couldn't shorten it anymore because it would have changed the story too much. So, thanks, and please, if you have time, leave some sort of review. –SC

I haven't been able to log in to FanFiction since Friday, so yay that it's working again! Thanks to whoever fixed it.


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